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NewsDay

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Alimenda follows football development path

Sport
Former Dynamos midfielder Stephen Alimenda has ventured into junior football development and is set to host an eight-team Under-19 tournament in Harare on Saturday

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

Former Dynamos midfielder Stephen Alimenda has ventured into junior football development and is set to host an eight-team Under-19 tournament in Harare on Saturday.

He had gone quiet since his last professional contract with Sheasham in the Zifa Central Region Soccer League before hanging his boots.

He returns to the game, but this time on the touch-line, to pursue his passion for grassroots development after establishing the Stephen Alimenda Academy last September.

Eight teams that include AS Academy, Fall Academy, Ruponeso Academy, Glen View Academy, Style Zone, Guardian FC, Blue Stars, Somerbylions and Gweru-based BVM Academy have confirmed their participation in the tournament which will be headlined by Alimenda’s former teammates that include Augustine Mbara, Oscar Machapa and Cliff Sekete.

“I am following my passion in football, I rose to where I played because someone else nurtured me and, therefore, I must also give back,” he said.

“The idea is to identify good footballers and then lead them to bigger teams. So far, eight teams have confirmed that they will participate, though we are still expecting more to come.

“We want to teach them basics so that they know what to do when exposed to high levels of competition. This event will be attended by many high-profile people mostly my former teammates and I am hoping sponsors will also realize that football starts at grassroots levels.”